Northern Pike or Esox lucius is among the largest north american game fish growing as large as 60 lbs.
Also known as Jackfish or Northerns, Pike are most often olive green, with yellow to white underbelly's, marked with light elongated spots that the run horizontally. Pike are easily distinguished from Tiger Muskie which have vertical stripping pasterns.
Pike are ambush predators and exhibit remarkable acceleration capable of sudden high speed bursts while hunting pray. Pike are aggressive feeders using a form of foraging called sit-and -wait. They tuck tail first into vegetation until the forge of choice passes by. Pike are not picky eaters and when food is scarce will cannibalize one another. Pike are very territorial and will strike other fish in defense of a prime hunting location.
Spawning earlier than most other species Pike will enter into spawning grounds as early as April or when the water temperature reaches 45 to 48 degrees. Male Pike will usually grow to 8 lbs where females can grow much larger. Males will occupy spawning areas a couple of weeks earlier than females and will remain for several weeks after the last female has moved on. Pike are broadcast spawners and females will periodically lay eggs in shallow vegetation over a 3 day period.
How to Fish
Popular techniques for Pike fishing include casting and retrieving mid to large sized fish imitations or still fishing bait in 4 to 8 feet of water.
Pike will regularly hit spoons, spinners, crank bates, plastic swim bates and spinners
Steal Lead is commonly used along with 30 to 60 lb braided or fluorocarbon lines.
Pike are opportunistic feeders and chub, perch or any other dead bate will work well.
During the summer they tend to group closer to vegetation than during the winter.
On sunny days pike stay closer to the shallow vegetated shore, and further from the shore on windy days.
Fishing in 2 to 8 feet of vegetated water on south facing shore lines is productive.
Find feeding areas adjacent to drop offs.
The wind blown shore lines are productive
When to Fish
Pike feed veraciously as fall approaches and then begin feeding heavily beginning mid February.
Pike are frequently caught through the ice in winter months a productive method in using chub, perch or minnows or jigging a large plastic bates.
Fishing Regulations
State wide limit of 6
Yuba pike limit is 20 with only 1 over 36 inches
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